A Promise is a Promise
by NaaraHatake
Summary: Secrets burn deep in Konoha, every shinobi is aware of that. Yet this secret, that the Hokages have desperately tried to hide, must be brought out to yet again save their world. This secret, however, affects Kakashi more than anyone else and Tsunade knows this the best. This is a reboot of my last Naruto FF. Don't need to read it to read this one. I do not own Naruto.
1. Prologue

Chains. Ropes. Cages. Walls. ANBU.

All of those things bound me to this prison. This prison that kept me underground, away from the light, for many, many years now. Too many to count, if I could count them, that is. The sun has become a foreign dream to me, along with any other outdoor luxuries.

Meals are served once a day, although I could hardly call them 'meals'. Yet it is what keeps me alive. Age doesn't affect me nor does most poisons. So far, only hunger and the taunting of guards could end my life. Yet the Hokages are too sympathetic towards me to let me die. Or would it be, in their guilt, in taking me away from Him at such a young age?

Do I feel hatred of them?

That is a good question.

I haven't felt _It_ for a long time. The presence is gone. I meditate and focus on_ It_ but nothing reaches me. I have stopped trying to find _It_ or summon my chakra for a long while now. They are gone. Forever lost in these chains, ropes, cages, walls.

Yet I feel _it. It_ is raging. Time is beginning to shorten. Though I cannot possess _It_ any longer, I can…sense it…faintly. The seal is wearing off, hopefully, HE can see it too.


	2. Chapter 1

A hand is stuffed into his pouch and his _Icha Icha_ is taken out to compensate for the long and tedious walk over to the Hokage's office. He was irritable and shaken from his previous mission. He hadn't slept in weeks during his mission and then he had a four day trek back to the village. He was pretty much running on caffeine pills to keep him moving but it did nothing for his less than tolerable mood.

The mission itself wasn't all too hard. It was the mission before that had been plaguing his mind. It wasn't what had physically done to him, either. It wasn't the fact that he killed yet another person. Killing was like breathing to him; it came naturally. Yet that mission…that mission brought back something that was buried so deep in his mind that he thought he forgot it for good. Yet he knew that all of the pain comes back at some point in time. It was the thing causing him to sleep less. Yet that pain felt cold. He hadn't thought of that pain for many years. Decades even. Yet, as he walked and thought about those painful dreams, the less he remembered about them.

He knocked twice on the large, wooden doors and waited impatiently until he heard a 'Come in.' He slid between the two doors and closed it behind him quietly.

"Ah, Kakashi, you're back! Do you have the reports?" Tsunade knew it was an idiotic question but it was mandatory to ask. He jumped in her chair as a stack of paper was slammed onto her desk. Her mouth opened in astonishment. She rummaged through the papers quickly and finally determined that they were, in fact, his reports.

She muttered to herself, "Well that was unusually fast." She took a quick sip from her sake and lifted her gaze to Kakashi, who was still there waiting to be dismissed. She quickly took note that Kakashi's eyes were bloodshot and heavy, purplish bags hung beneath those eyeballs. His back was tense and his hands were very jittery. Tsunade asked, "Hatake, when was the last time you slept?"

He stood there and thought to himself, counting the days he decided to skip on the trivial chore known as sleep. "I would estimate, three weeks."

With a heavy sigh and a massage to her forehead, she pointed at the door, "Go to the medics right now. I can't have one of my top shinobi having insomnia. And if I find out that you played hooky I will have your ass!" She sighed once more, "Go!"

The shinobi was frustrated but complied, knowing full well that having a witty banter that also counted as a debate was too much energy that he could output at that moment. So he trudged down the hall and exited the building by the front door.

His eyes now just looked at the two pages instead of actually reading them. Focusing on the words was a troubling task so he decided just not to read. Sooner than he expected, he arrived at the hospital.

He loathed coming to this building. It was filled with such horrid memories. That and he didn't care much for the stale scent of rubbing alcohol and lemon-scented disinfectant. He pushed open the door and was met than no other than Sakura.

The young kuniochi smiled when he appeared. "Shizune sent me a message that you would be here and told me to wait for you. Apparently you haven't been sleeping, Sensei?"

Kakashi shrugged and he pocketed his book, "I don't need it."

She snorted, "That's what they all say. Come on. I'll check you out." As much as Kakashi wanted to poof out of the building, he didn't want to piss off Sakura _AND _Tsunade at once. That would be pure hell. He would rather be in the torture dungeon than to piss both of them off.

So he followed obediently, although he didn't remember the walk to the sterile room. Nor did he remember the checkup. What he did remember was Sakura saying, "Alright Kakashi-Sensei, this will make things better." Before he knew it, he was knocked out like a light.

_His body filled to the brim with warmness he hasn't felt for a while. His body felt lighter, like he was floating on a still lake. He felt calm and at piece. Yet…it was dark. He could hear the faint sound of pots clanging and a pan scraping against a rack._

_His eyes fluttered open to a wooden ceiling. He sat up in his bed and moved them over to the edge. His stubby feet landed on the soft floor and he padded through the room and into the hallway. He could now smell the sweet aroma of flowers and salted fish wafting up the stairs and into his nostrils. With a smile spreading across his face, he ran down the stairs, practically leaping from the first step to the last, his little thumps trailing behind him._

_Skidding to a stop, he barely missed the woman as he dashed into the kitchen. Unbalanced, he fell onto his back and looked up to Onix colored eyes. "Kakashi, what have I told you about running in the house?"_

"_Sorry Mama."_

_A scared hand reached down and pulled him to his feet by the collar of his shirt, "I'll have to take away your bear now." The toddler tilt his head back to look at his mother again, his big, wide eyes full of crocodile tears. She tsked, "Don't give me that face. You knew the rule very well." Kakashi humphed and stuck his lower lip to pout as he glared defiantly at his mother._

_The woman placed the tray she was carrying on her hip and raised an eyebrow at him. "Don't give me that face." She pressed her free hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. Muttering, "I thought that nap would make your angry mood go away." She breathed heavily out of her nose before smiling fondly down at her troublesome son, "Your father is expected home in a few hours and I don't want you to bring him a sour homecoming."_

_The three year old squealed in delight at the mention of his father's homecoming. He hasn't seen his father in over three months and he was excited to show him all of the fun new jutsus his mother had taught him. Kakashi wrapped his arms around his mother's legs, "Sorry Mama!"_

_She knelt down and picked her son up by his collar again, carrying him further into the kitchen. "That's alright honey." She set him down by the sink as she set the tray onto the counter, "Now, how about you help me set up the table?" The eager, hyperactive young lad didn't bother to give her an answer and started to pulled dishes out of the ground cabinets. The young woman laughed heartily before assisting him in handling the plates._

_She leaned down and whispered into his ear, "I promise, I will return."_

_Then, darkness overridden the dream. It came in a flash, and just as quick as it darkened, a bright light enveloped his person. He was no longer small and fragile, but the large and fairly skilled man he currently was. _

_Then, he saw his mother's hand, again. It reached for him, and he in return, reached for it. He touched that scared, slender hand but her warm touch turned cold. His fingers were slowly incased in ice and traveled up his hand and crawled over his arm, to his shoulder. The hand drew back and dissipated yet the ice still ventured. _

"_Tick Tock."_

_Then everything shattered before him._

The sun seared through his eyelids as he slowly began to wake up. His muscles felt a tad bit stiff and he felt groggy, but otherwise, well rested. His lids fluttered open and he slowly lifted himself onto his elbows. He looked around and noticed he was sleeping in one of the hospital rooms. He inwardly groaned as he knelt on to all fours before turning himself around. He knew there was a more graceful way of doing that but he just didn't seem to care at the moment.

The rubbed his yawned for a brief moment before he finally recognized the brief dream he had. It was odd, to say the least. His mother was in it. He didn't remember his mother well. He remembered a few of her aspects; like her lullabies and, of course, when the ANBU came to tell him that his mother passed. Other than that, he had no real memory of her. But his dream….he rested his arms on his legs as he pressed his hands into his face.

That dream seemed so real. It felt familiar, in a way. Like a memory but more refined.

"I see you're awake, Kakashi-Sensei."

Kakashi raised his face from his hands and stared at crinkled his eyes to show a false smile. "Ah, Sakura. Thank you for that wonderful shot. I feel much more rested."

Sakura couldn't help but to roll her eyes. She moved over to his bed and took out his medical chart, "Well, you did indeed had insomnia, but it seemed that some…foreign chakra had disrupted your sleep time clock. Although, as much as I searched, I couldn't find the source of that chakra. It simply…disappeared."

Kakashi leaned against the wall behind his bed in mild confusion, "Wait? There was foreign chakra in me? I didn't detect a thing."

Sakura shrugged, obviously as lost as he is, "Sometimes it sneaks up on you. Otherwise, you are all well. No signs of poison or breakages of any sort. So, I think you are all ready to go!" Her mood perked up, as a nurse should be after a patient has been released.

* * *

The monk sprung up from his bed and ran outside of his cottage. He looked to the mountains before him and muttered a rare curse. The sun has not risen but he could see a faint light in those unforgiving crags and jagged hills. The light faded but the image was fresh in his head. He knew that the danger was still near.

He ran inside his hut. He bumped into his desk harshly, shifting the wood to cause a screech from the hawk perched on the chair. The monk quickly apologized as he fumbled the drawers in search of a scroll and ink.

He needed Her. She was the last who knew everything here. She, and two others, had the power to contain everything here. She and the boy were easy to find, although it would be hard to have Her come here, considering her circumstance. The other, however, was lost to him. She would have to find him herself. He didn't know how the other would react, but the monk knew that She was persuasive enough to have him venture along.

He only hopped that the Godamie was wise enough to allow Her to go. All the leaders knew how drastic this was. They knew this day would come.

He outreached his arm, allowing the white beaked hawk to jump onto his sleep. The monk rolled the paper and placed it carefully into the socket of the carrier. He walked the short distance to the door, and commanded the bird to fly.

He watched helpless as the black bird disappeared over the horizon, right when the sun began to rise, hoping, prying that his word is reached.

**Hello. This is a reboot of _A Promise is a Promise_. If you have read that story before, this is slightly similar and different. The plot is different but a few aspects are the same. So don't spoil anything. If you are new, don't bother with the old one. I don't know if I want to keep it up, but it is still there. _A Promise is a Promise_ was my very first story and, well, it sucks majorly. But it is my baby, so I decided to remake it. Frankly, I think this one will be better. Hopefully. I'm trying to write more...don't know how well its working for me.**

**Anyways, subscribe and review. Sorry if it sounds confusing. Its usually how you create a mystery, after all.**


	3. Chapter 2

Sake dripped from the hard, oak wood desk and onto the floor. Her eyes scanned the note, re-reading the messy scrawl numerous times. With every word the shake in her hands trembled more. She called out, "Shizune!"

The said woman ran in, her hair in a dis-awry. "Yes?"

Tsunade held out the scroll, "Make copies of these and send these to the other Kages." Shizune stepped briskly to the desk and took the scroll gingerly. She skimmed it over quickly before raising her head up in shock, starring at the Hokage with disbelief. Tsunade folded her hands under her chin, her eyes hard. "Bring me Team Kakashi and Team Asuma...we can't hold back on this."

She nodded mutely before asking, "And..."

"Yes," The blonde interrupted, "That would be implied."

"Shouldn't you discuss this with the elders?"

There was a heavy sigh, "There is no time for arguing. I will take care of the quarrels with them later." Running her hand through her hair, she stated, "With them, it would take too long to sent out the mission."

"That is understandable Lady Tsunade." She turned to leave, holding the scroll to her chest.

"Oh, and please grab a towel and some more Sake.

* * *

Naruto groaned as the two groups walked to the Hokage's building, "ARGH! I just did a mission and it wasn't even hard! I wanted to go have some ramen, but noooo! I have to go on another stupid mission. It's probably going to be a C rank mission again." He pouted, crossing his arms in front of chest.

Sakura smacked him against his skull, "Oh stop complaining. You can have that junk any time of the day."

Sai smiled coldly, "She is right. Besides, by the sheer number of shinobi that she has called for one mission signifies that it is more than a simple C mission. Also, Shizune also told us to pack before coming, hinting a urge of rushness."

Shikamaru smirked, "For once I agree with him.

The three elders; Kakashi, Asuma and Yamato, glanced over the large group. Asuma replaced his dying cigarette with a new one. He lit with the lighter in his pocket before sliding it back into his pocket. "So, what do think she wants us to do?"

Yamato's eyes furrowed, "There hasn't been any conflicts with the other villages...at least, not that I know of. It can't be that bad considering she would've sent a group of Anbu to do the job."

"Not necessarily." Kakashi spoke casually behind his book, "My team has gone on plenty of missions that Anbu should've gone on. I doubt this mission is to find information, but just as important, I suspect. Besides, these two teams make a considerable pair. There is Naruto and Choji, the strength, Sakura and Ino, the medical, and Shikamaru. Sai can gain any information that we need easily. Then there are ourselves."

Yamato nodded curtly, "I can see where your from, but these are still kids."

Kakashi interjected, "May I remind you that we were 'just kids' and on an anbu squad. So none of that bull."

The subject was changed quite quickly for the younger and older members of the group, and not before long, they were in front of the Hokage, Tsunade.

The desk was cleaned of her spill earlier but papers were still scattered about her desk. Tsunade herself was not sitting in her chair but leaned against the window, her hands shaking by her sides. Her hair was pulled out from her pigtails and sticking out every which way. Her eyes looked up to the team and immediately fell onto Kakashi.

"Master! Are you alright? You're pale and quivering! Are you ill?" Sakura and Ino looked at their teacher worriedly, wondering when her health was starting to slip.

Naruto snickered, "Maybe all of that alcohol is finally getting to her." His smile faded when Tsunade's visage did not frown or smile at the insult. He sensed that something was seriously wrong.

"Maybe if it was the time to tell jokes, I would've laughed right along with ya." He looked up to see Jiraiya climbing in through the window. He stood up, his arms folded and his head bowed, "It's time to lose that messy thinking at the door. You nine are in for a real shock."

Tsunade let out a breath that she had been holding for a long time. "Before I tell what you are to do, their is to be a small history lesson."

Jiraiya took it from their, "Where you are going is past the Land of Earth and into those mountains. Deep in those mountains are ruins of an old, ancient city that is hidden in the rocks. There are a limited few that can find it, and even less that can enter into that area. It is known as the Tormented Ruins, for the name has been lost through history. Anyhow, that city use to be the holder of great beings. Beings that could create any element, only not having to use a hand signs or chakra."

Naruto asked, "Like the tailed beasts?"

The old sage thought for a moment, "Yes and no. They are just as powerful as the beasts, but are less predictable. Now, in this city held their...council, so to say. The history is a bit muddled, but each member were born with one of those beings. With them combined, they ran the town very effectively. The beings, however, grew tired of their concealers and killed them from the inside out, one by one until most of them were out, attacking the town in rage. Yet, only three warriors were strong enough to keep hold of their beings. So, the three of them sealed of the others inside the town and told all that were still alive to abandon it."

"The only people who even stayed in the same proximity of the city was a warrior clan who promised the three to make watch and come find them if the seal was ever broken."

Sai's cold smile never faulted, "I have heard of this story. It is just a legend."

"I would've agreed with you if I hadn't met somebody that held one of those beings." The young shinobi paled. "Yes, she was a very fine shinobi in this village. One of the best. Could've killed you just by staring at you." Yamato looked over to the other Jounin from the corner of his eyes before his attention was focused on his elders once more.

Shikamaru looked at the sage with disbelief, "If such a person did work here, how come we never met her? Or even heard about her and her power?"

Tsunade stood straight, anger laced into her voice, "Not many people knew, and the ones who did, had their own reasons for keeping it a secret. And why you have never met her? Well..." Her voice cracked and slowly become silent. She tried again, "She was arrested for treachery and locked away in the most securest of prisons."

Kakashi eyed her suspiciously, causing Tsunade and Jiraryia to freeze in their shoes. "I have been and worked in all of the prisons. How come I never heard of her."

As smooth as a fox, the Hokage responded, "Only a selected few shinobi who were trained to contain her specifically were allowed to guard her. She is not only strong and swift, but cunning as well." She knew that he didn't believe it. It was in his eyes, but he let it drop, considering they were in a hurry, apparently.

Shikamaru contributed another question, "Where are the other two, then?"

"She knows that information, along with where the guardian of the city's location."

Ino crossed her arms, the look of un-amusement on her face as clear as day. "So we are going to this unknown place with this criminal who knows of these other unknown people with 'special' powers?"

Jiraryia nodded, "Pretty much."

Asuma spoke up, seeing that it was the time for him to be heard. "How are we going to contain this...criminal. If you say she is as strong as she is, how are we going to control her."

Tsunade smirked, "I have already thought of that. She does need her chakra, but I am putting a suppressant on her chakra so she will not be able to use strong attacks. A seal that at least two of you know. She isn't effect by poison, at least she can't die from any kind, but she has been fed a certain pill that if she does not take in a day then she will pass out. She will recover from it, but it will leave it to you to put it back into your system. I have already placed the pills in your medical packs, Sakura and Ino. Even a little in yours, Yamato." Yamato noticed the stern glare that was sent to him and he could only nod.

The hokage leaned against the desk and ran her fingers over her head, "You think they are ready to bring her in?" The sage heard the real meaning in who it was directed to in her voice, but nodded.

Tsunade yelled, "Bring her in!"

The shinobi moved to the two sides of the room as the two, large doors groaned open. Two masked anbu stepped in, chains carried in their hands. The figure did not appear immediately, but with a force tug on the chains, she stepped forward.

Long red hair followed behind her, hitting the back of her ankles. Her transparent skin from the lack of sun shined from the light. She wore a black, sleeveless shirt with black training pants for her assemble.

She blinked heavily as she stepped in the well lit room. Her steps were hesitant and clumsy, they were jelly from years of disuse. Her onix eyes scanned the room; falling on strange children that looked much like old friends, old friends who were now resented, young men who now resembled their fathers, and a man who she has known for a very, very long time.

Her confused eyes grew stern and threatening. She eyed the sages, her voice wanting to scream, to shout at them. She knew that they did not deserve the treatment, but the sudden face of friends that never had her back just boiled her blood. Her voice, however, was sealed at the moment. As if she would ever spill those secrets. It probably wasn't true anymore.

While the rest of the room was silent, Kakashi stared at her with confusion. There was a sense of familiarity about the woman who just walked in. Chained. He felt like he should know who she was, but only came up with fog.

"You know why I allowed you out?"

The captured woman nodded once.

"Will you be obedient?" A short nod.

"Fine. Release her voice." The chakra on her throat fizzled, leaving a burning yet reliving sensation. She sighed in relief briefly, trying to touch her throat with her fingers. "You may use little chakra, but not to your full extent."

A throaty, raspy chuckle echoed the room, causing Naruto, Sakura, and Ino to shiver. "Seeing you as Hokage is amusing. A drunk, gambling nurse is quite an interesting turn out." She gave her a faint, blood curling smile. A vein in Tsunade's head pulsed, her chakra starting to rise. "Now, now, Tsunade, I was complementing you. You fit the job perfectly, especially after taking me away from my family."

Tsunade slammed her fist onto the desk, cracking the wood beneath. "It was your own doing! If you stayed well enough alone...!"

"What makes you think I didn't?" She hissed, venom in her words.

"Don't make me send you back down!"

Inhaling deeply, she relaxed her shoulders and eased her eyes. "You do that, and we all die."

Tsunade hated losing a fight, especially with her, but the woman held truth. "You will come back and serve your sentence."

She scoffed, "Oh, you're going to hold me for all of eternity? It would be better if I just died." Her eyes were narrowed, "Why should I help any of you? I might as well and go back into that hole because that is all I ever will be in. I have no life, so why should I help others? My husband is dead and my son doesn't know I exists anymore. WHY! BOTHER!"

Naruto, anger receding into his pores, "Marched in front of the woman, causing her to jolt back in surprise. The blonde gritted and shouted, "How could you do that to all of those innocent people? People who never had a problem with you! Just because you are an evil bitch who doesn't care about this village doesn't mean you should go ahead and kill them all!"

She stared at him with astonishment. The young man held a piece of determination in his eyes. But as he looked at her eyes, he saw shock turn into sorrow and shame. Quietly, she responded, "You are quite right, child. I was just speaking out of anger. It has been a while since I have actually talked to anyone. I am out of practice. Forgive me."

She bowed her head, now shocking Naruto and his teammates alike.

* * *

The toad sage's somber face was new, and Tsunade found it unsettling. Yet, instead of talking to him, she threw back another drink of sake. His deep voice was soft, almost a whisper, "She was right."

"I know."

**Just going to jump right into it. If you read the old story, you know that this is extremely different. Hope it's better. Thank you for reading!**


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